In this paper, numerical and experimental studies are presented on melting behavior of a pure metal in the presence of a static magnetic field. When a transverse magnetic field is present and the working fluid is electrically conductive, the fluid motion in the magnetic field results in a force field (Lorentz forces) that will dampen the convective flows. Buoyancy driven flows are the focus of this study to simulate low-gravity conditions. Hartmann (Ha) number, a dimensionless parameter proportional to the strength of the magnetic field, dominates the convection flow suppression. The effects of the magnetic strength on melting rate and on the profile of the solid/melt interface are studied. The experiments are conducted with pure gallium as phase change material inside a rectangular test cell. The solid thickness at its side center position is measured by an ultrasound device and the solid/melt interface profile is captured via reflection florescent-light photography. Temperature measurements and volume expansion/contraction tracking are used to provide further details and to verify the numerical results. Magnetically induced low-gravity environments were extensively studied numerically, where the details of the flow field were obtained. The experimental and numerical results compare very well especially, at larger Hartmann numbers. The results showed that a magnetic filed could be used to simulate key melting characteristics found in actual low-gravity environments. However, under strong magnetic field, numerical simulations revealed a different three-dimensional flow structure in the melt region compared to the actual low-gravity flow fields where the flow circulations are smoothly curved.
Skip Nav Destination
e-mail: majid_charmchi@uml.edu
e-mail: faghrim@egr.uri.edu
Article navigation
Research Papers
Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Melting in the Presence of a Magnetic Field: Simulation of Low-Gravity Environment
H. Zhang,
H. Zhang
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Massachusetts Lowell
, Lowell, MA 01854
Search for other works by this author on:
M. Charmchi,
M. Charmchi
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: majid_charmchi@uml.edu
University of Massachusetts Lowell
, Lowell, MA 01854
Search for other works by this author on:
D. Veilleux,
D. Veilleux
Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems
, 1847 West Main Road, Portsmouth, RI 02871
Search for other works by this author on:
M. Faghri
M. Faghri
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: faghrim@egr.uri.edu
University of Rhode Island
, Kingston, RI 02881
Search for other works by this author on:
H. Zhang
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Massachusetts Lowell
, Lowell, MA 01854
M. Charmchi
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Massachusetts Lowell
, Lowell, MA 01854e-mail: majid_charmchi@uml.edu
D. Veilleux
Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems
, 1847 West Main Road, Portsmouth, RI 02871
M. Faghri
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Rhode Island
, Kingston, RI 02881e-mail: faghrim@egr.uri.edu
J. Heat Transfer. Apr 2007, 129(4): 568-576 (9 pages)
Published Online: December 12, 2006
Article history
Received:
March 7, 2006
Revised:
December 12, 2006
Citation
Zhang, H., Charmchi, M., Veilleux, D., and Faghri, M. (December 12, 2006). "Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Melting in the Presence of a Magnetic Field: Simulation of Low-Gravity Environment." ASME. J. Heat Transfer. April 2007; 129(4): 568–576. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2709961
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Cited By
On Prof. Roop Mahajan's 80th Birthday
J. Heat Mass Transfer
Thermal Hydraulic Performance and Characteristics of a Microchannel Heat Exchanger: Experimental and Numerical Investigations
J. Heat Mass Transfer (February 2025)
Related Articles
Melting and Solidification of a Pure Metal on a Vertical Wall
J. Heat Transfer (February,1986)
Interface Shape and Thermally-Driven Convection in Vertical Bridgman Growth of Gallium Selenide: A Semiconductor With Anisotropic Solid-Phase Thermal Conductivity
J. Heat Transfer (August,2001)
Experimental Heat Transfer Rates of Natural Convection of Molten Gallium Suppressed Under an External Magnetic Field in Either the X , Y , or Z Direction
J. Heat Transfer (February,1992)
Enhanced Heat Transfer Rate Measured for Natural Convection in Liquid Gallium in a Cubical Enclosure Under a Static Magnetic Field
J. Heat Transfer (November,1998)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
Insulating Properties of W-Doped Ga2O3 Films Grown on Si Substrate for Low-K Applications
International Conference on Advanced Computer Theory and Engineering, 4th (ICACTE 2011)
Applications
Introduction to Finite Element, Boundary Element, and Meshless Methods: With Applications to Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow
Numerical Study on Dynamic Discharging Performance of Packed Bed Using Spherical Capsules Containing N-Tetradecane
Inaugural US-EU-China Thermophysics Conference-Renewable Energy 2009 (UECTC 2009 Proceedings)